Ever since the anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell began publishing his observations about body language in the early 1950s, psychologists have found more and more clues to children?s emotions in their gestures and posture.
While these observations have scientific value, their usefulness for us as parents may be limited. True, you might find a top 10 list in your favorite parenting magazine, offering you a sure-fire ways to ?read? your child. Still, the chances are that nothing in the popular press can tell you more about your children than you can discover on your own, just by paying attention.
After all, knowing your child is not a matter of memorizing a vocabulary of physical signs and symbols. It?s really all about learning to spot changes in body language, at times when your child is acting out of character. Does your normally spontaneous child start shuffling her feet before answering a direct question? Is your usually ravenous son pushing the food around on his dinner plate? Odds are, something?s the matter.
One way or the other, you?ll get to the bottom of these non-verbal cues. The key thing is to observe your children closely, day in and day out. Once you know their habits, patterns and preferences, you?ll be prepared to track the changes that occur due to outside influences like illness or emotional distress.
What non-verbal messages have you picked up from your children lately? And how have you used your own body language to get your message across to your kids? Tell us and we?ll randomly select 50 responders to receive a Code Orange thermometer.
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states, D.C. and PR, who are 18 or older, or the age of legal majority in your state as of the date of entry. Sponsored by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc.
Starts 12:00 a.m. ET on December 10, 2007 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 16, 2007
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Comments: 12
If the kids are doing something they shouldn't, all I have to do is stand there with a stern expression on my face, head tilted and they'll know that something is going on.
My youngest, 4 years, is funny. If she is embarrassed about something, she starts twirling her tongue around and twisting her torso like she has ants in her pants.
When I look at the two older boys with a mean look on my face, they know that I am serious about whatever I have said to them. Sometimes I have to work hard to keep that mean look on my face too because it usually makes me want to start laughing!
My two year old thinks his mischief is the funniest thing ever. Wouldn't surprise me if his tell continues to be his trouble keeping from laughing about what he's done.
My body language is pretty easy to see, hands on my hips, or shaking my finger, or a wrinkled up face squinch'd.. *is that a word?* looking angry.. :p
we can always tell if she is getting frustrated because she'll start waving her hands around.